The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies to housing built before 1978 whenever work disturbs painted surfaces above a small threshold. Sanding trim qualifies. So does scraping an exterior.
In practice it means plastic containment, no open-flame or high-heat removal, HEPA vacuuming rather than sweeping, and wet cleanup at the end of every shift, verified before the containment comes down.
It does not change the coating or the finish quality. It changes how long the job takes and how much of the crew's day goes into setup and cleanup, which is why a lead-safe quote is legitimately higher than one that ignores the rule.
A contractor working on a pre-1978 home who does not mention any of this is either not certified or not intending to comply. Both are worth knowing before you sign.
